Could you help me speak to my daddy? He has been away since I was a baby...
10-YEAR-OLD WRITES TO GOVERNMENT BEGGING FOR HIS DAD TO BE RELEASED FROM JAIL
‘COULD you help me to speak to my daddy?’ is just part of the moving letter a 10-year-old boy has written to the government, pleading with them to release his dad from prison.
Kayden Wright, hasn’t seen dad Thomas White, 36, since he was a baby after he was given a controversial Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence in 2011.
The schoolboy, from Bury, has written the heartfelt letter begging the government to release his dad ‘in time for Christmas or his first day at big school.’
Thomas White was jailed for robbery after stealing a phone from a couple in Manchester city centre. The minimum term of his sentence - passed under a sinceabolished law - was just two years.
But nine years later he is still behind bars.
IPP sentences were designed to keep protect from the public from prolific and dangerous offenders, but were scrapped months later by the Justice Secretary Ken Clarke, in 2012, because they disproportionately punished those who committed low level offences.
However, that had no bearing on people who had already been sentenced under the poorly-understood IPP regime, who were considered to be serious threats to the public when they were jailed. They must access courses to win their parole, and those who either haven’t been able to, or have seen their mental health or behaviour deteriorate while losing hope of release, have ended up being locked away for years beyond their original minimum tariffs.
Kayden, helped by his grandmother, Margaret White, has written to Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Robert Buckland - but is yet to get a reply.
The letter said: “Mr Buckland my name is Kayden Wright and my daddy Thomas White has been the letter he has written begging the government to release his dad from jail away for a very long time since I was a baby.
“Sir I’m asking you, can you help me speak to my daddy? I have not seen him since I was a baby.
“Could you help me to speak to my daddy?
“Also when can he come home as my nanny says she doesn’t know? Please sir do you think he will be home for Christmas or for my first day at big school? Please please write back sir.”
Responding to questions about Thomas White’s case, a Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “These types of offenders were deemed by a judge to pose a high-risk to the public and are only released after they demonstrate to the Parole Board they are no longer a threat.
Thomas’ sister, Clara White, 38, said in order for Thomas to be granted parole he must do a course on rehabilitation.
But she said these courses are only on offer in a handful of prisons, have massive waiting lists, and that she fears Thomas is not in a fit state to complete them.
His family have said that he has spent large parts of his sentence in segregation with only the Bible to read. Clara said: “I really am concerned about my brother.
“He has spent so much time alone not knowing when he’ll be release and it has really had an effect on him.